multi-purpose furniture

Furniture in Hawaii has to be multi-functional. There is no need here for decorative tables with pretty candles or lamps on it, or a special cabinet for your collectibles. Why do you ask? Because homes in Hawaii are very small and don't have a lot of storage (no basements, attics, extra closets, etc.). So every piece of furniture that we own has to have at least two purposes. Such as a coffee table with storage or beds with drawers underneath them. So in our living room we bought some cheap-o shelves last year to hold books, toys, picture albums, puzzles and Ethan's curriculum. It's amazing how quickly they filled up...but they aren't very pretty looking or neat and tidy. So I was a little embarrassed when people came over because it made the room feel really cluttered....even though it was organized clutter. So my solution? Make curtains on the lower half of my bookshelves.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

It's probably not something you'll see in Pottery Barn or something Martha Stewart would approve of but it definitely makes the room feel less cluttered...and that was all I was trying to accomplish.